With only seven total picks in the 2023 NFL Draft, Andrew Berry and the Cleveland Browns had to be extremely calculated with every selection.
While building via free agency is fun for fans, it’s not a long-term strategy that can be successful. Free agency is full of aging players, and you are typically overpaying for players.
Not only are you getting fresh young talent in the draft, but you are also getting four years of a contract at a discounted rate if they end up being good players.
While not all issues were solved, these three positions were solidified for the 2023 season after the draft.
Browns answer No. 3: Quarterback
With Berry drafting Dorian Thompson-Robinson in round five of the draft last weekend, it creates a very interesting position for the Cleveland Browns next season.
Berry re-signed Joshua Dobbs this offseason as the backup and Deshaun Watson is clearly the starter. With a solid one, two punch already, Thompson-Robinson will likely find himself on the practice squad for most of the season.
New rules since covid allow teams to protect players on the practice squad which make this pick even better. Berry now has established a quarterback room with three players that all have a similar set of abilities.
All players are athletic and can extend plays, but all prefer to be throw first players. Thompson-Robinson not only had more than 3,000 yards passing in his senior season at UCLA, but he also did that with a completion percentage just below 70 which is extremely impressive.
Thompson-Robinson was not drafted to become the starter for the Browns, but he is an impressive player and brings great depth if the worst were to happen.
Browns answer No. 2: Wide Receiver
One of the more surprising picks by the Cleveland Browns in 2023 was Cedric Tillman. Berry took the former Tennessee Volunteer in Round 3 with pick No. 74 and really made a statement about his wide receiver room.
Remember, the Browns traded for Amari Cooper last offseason and recently made a trade for Elijah Moore where they gave up a second-round pick.
Had Tillman stayed healthy for all of 2022, he likely would have been a first-round pick. A high ankle sprain limited him tremendously last season, but there's no reason to believe he won’t return to form.
Cooper, Donovan Peoples-Jones (DPJ), and Moore will certainly be the starters in 2023 unless Tillman absolutely balls out in preseason, but he is a fantastic insurance policy with DPJ in a contract year and having to decide on the fifth-year option for Moore next offseason.
With David Bell and Marquise Goodwin on the roster it also will make things extremely difficult for Anthony Schwartz to even make the roster. I wouldn’t be shocked to see him released before the start of the preseason.
Even though Tillman was a bit of a surprise (and a slight reach because of the injury), Berry set the Browns up extremely well at the receiver position for the next couple of years.
Browns answer No. 1: Offensive Line
The most surprising move by Berry in the 2023 draft (other than not drafting a safety), was his continued aggression to upgrade the offensive line.
I’m not saying he drafted a 2023 starter between the Ohio State pair of Dawand Jones and Luke Wypler, but he drafted two guys who could easily be starters in the next two seasons.
Jones was a massive get for the Buckeyes a few years ago, but never quite developed into the massive talent they expected. He's a giant that needs to lose a few pounds and get into better shape.
Wypler was a surprise starter in 2022 for the Buckeyes and did a fantastic job at center for the Buckeyes. He needs to continue to get stronger and improve his craft, but he has the capability to be a starting guard or center in the Browns offensive scheme.
These picks don’t show me a lack of faith yet in guys like Jedrick Wills or Jack Conklin, but he has a strong insurance policy. James Hudson or Jones can easily step in next season if Wills struggles, and they also have some depth if injuries happen.
Joel Bitonio is no spring chicken, and at some point, his game is going to drop off. Nick Harris is a great backup, but injuries have always haunted him. Now with Wypler, Bill Callahan will have his pick of a guard replacement in 2024.